Abrahams, Dolce Star as 11 More World Records Tumble on Day 2 of U.S. Masters Nationals

By Phillip Whitten

MISSION VIEJO, Calif., August 12. THE record-breaking continued nonstop on the second day of the USMS Long Course Masters National Championships at Mission Viejo. No fewer than 11 world records were washed away on Friday, along with 19 U.S. national marks, bringing the two-day total to 20 world and 36 American records.

Colorado Masters’ Richard Abrahams renewed his one-man assault on the spring records as he became the first man over 60 to break a minute for the 100-meter freestyle. Abrahams, who swam the 50 yesterday in 25.45, clocked 58.61 for the 100 meters. Olympian Jeff Farrell set the old mark of 1:00.11 seven years ago.

Equally impressive in the same event was 96-year-old Julia Dolce, Garden State Masters. Julia destroyed the world record in the women’s 95-99 age group by almost a full minute when she touched in 3:08.43. Canada’s Mary Anderson had owned the previous standard of 4:06.70 for seven years.

400 Individual Medley
Three world records fell in the 400 IM. Oregon’s Dennis Baker, 44, set a men’s 40-44 mark with his 4:49.42; Jim McConica, 55, Ventura County Masters, clocked 5:17.10 for a new men’s 55-59 mark; while Jill Hernandez, Chico Masters, threw down a 5:27.67, faster than any other woman aged 45-49 has ever swum. Ashley DuPaul, UC Irvine Masters, added a USMS mark for women 18-24, 5:15.01.

100 Free
Cav Cananaugh, Gold Coast Masters, lowered the WR for the 100 free in the men’s 70-74 division, blazing a 1:05.40. Frank Piemme, Santa Barbara Masters, notched his second American record of the meet for men 80-84 with his 1:18.77.

Beth Knight, 46, San Diego Swim Masters, celebrated her return to competition by taking Suzanne Heim-Bowen’s 100 free mark for women 45-49 from 1:02.11 to 1:00.95. Carolyn Boak, 60, Woodlands Masters (TX), scored her second national mark for women 60-64 with a 1:12.83.

200 Fly
Sixty-one-year-old Daniela Barnea of Stanford Masters, was the only record-setter in the 200-meters butterfly. Barnea, who only began swimming fly two years ago, chopped three seconds off her own national mark for women 60-64, touching in 3:26.54.

50 Breast
Arizona Masters’ Dave Rollins scored his second national record of the meet, destroying the 18 year-old standard of 30.10 for men 18-24 with a blazing 28.87. Hawaii Masters’ Diane Stowell, 71, chipped in with an American record 46.80 in the women’s 70-74 division.

200 Medley Relay
Four world records and an additional American record were shattered today in the 200-meter medley relay. For the men, Rolling Hills Masters clocked a WR 1:57.72 in the 200+ age group. One age group up, the 240+, saw San Diego Swim Masters establish another global standard at 2:05.90.

San Diego’s women’s team set a 160+ world record with a super-fast 2:08.62. Arizona’s 280+ squad clocked a 3:09.93 for the day’s final world record.